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12. Pragmatics and the translation of fiction

  • Roberto A. Valdeón
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Pragmatics of Fiction
This chapter is in the book Pragmatics of Fiction

Abstract

This chapter presents an overview of the research concerning the interface between Translation Studies and Pragmatics, with particular reference to the translation of fiction. The first section discusses how the main reference books of the discipline have dealt with the topic and highlights the work of authors who have given prominence to the crucial role of pragmatics in translation theory and practice, focusing on the translation of fictional works. Section 2 summarizes the seminal approaches by authors such as Gutt (1991) and Hatim and Mason (1990). The next section discusses the translation solutions of the features of conversation identified by translation scholars, both in literary texts and in audiovisual material. Section 4 approaches (im)politeness in general and the translation of swearwords in particular, as this area of research has been particularly productive among translation researchers. The final section considers the use of multilingualism, code-switching and translation in fiction and the difficulties these phenomena pose for translators.

Abstract

This chapter presents an overview of the research concerning the interface between Translation Studies and Pragmatics, with particular reference to the translation of fiction. The first section discusses how the main reference books of the discipline have dealt with the topic and highlights the work of authors who have given prominence to the crucial role of pragmatics in translation theory and practice, focusing on the translation of fictional works. Section 2 summarizes the seminal approaches by authors such as Gutt (1991) and Hatim and Mason (1990). The next section discusses the translation solutions of the features of conversation identified by translation scholars, both in literary texts and in audiovisual material. Section 4 approaches (im)politeness in general and the translation of swearwords in particular, as this area of research has been particularly productive among translation researchers. The final section considers the use of multilingualism, code-switching and translation in fiction and the difficulties these phenomena pose for translators.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter i
  2. Preface to the handbook series v
  3. Preface ix
  4. Table of contents xi
  5. 1. Introducing Pragmatics of Fiction: Approaches, trends and developments 1
  6. I. Pragmatics of fiction as communication: Foundations
  7. 2. Participation structure in fictional discourse: Authors, scriptwriters, audiences and characters 25
  8. 3. The pragmatics of the genres of fiction 55
  9. 4. Fictional characterisation 93
  10. 5. The role of dialogue in fiction 129
  11. 6. Narrative perspectives on voice in fiction 159
  12. 7. Pragmatics of style in fiction 197
  13. II. Features of orality and variation
  14. 8. Oral features in fiction 235
  15. 9. Doing dialects in dialogues: Regional, social and ethnic variation in fiction 265
  16. 10. Multilingualism in fiction 297
  17. 11. The pragmatics of estrangement in fantasy and science fiction 329
  18. III. Pragmatic themes in fiction
  19. 12. Pragmatics and the translation of fiction 367
  20. 13. Subtitling and dubbing in telecinematic text 397
  21. 14. (Im)politeness in fiction 425
  22. 15. (Im)politeness and telecinematic discourse 455
  23. 16. Stance in fiction 489
  24. 17. Language and emotion in fiction 515
  25. 18. Language change and fiction 553
  26. Bionotes 585
  27. Index of authors of scholarly work 591
  28. Index of authors of fictional work 603
  29. Index of fictional sources 605
  30. Subject index 609
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110431094-012

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter i
  2. Preface to the handbook series v
  3. Preface ix
  4. Table of contents xi
  5. 1. Introducing Pragmatics of Fiction: Approaches, trends and developments 1
  6. I. Pragmatics of fiction as communication: Foundations
  7. 2. Participation structure in fictional discourse: Authors, scriptwriters, audiences and characters 25
  8. 3. The pragmatics of the genres of fiction 55
  9. 4. Fictional characterisation 93
  10. 5. The role of dialogue in fiction 129
  11. 6. Narrative perspectives on voice in fiction 159
  12. 7. Pragmatics of style in fiction 197
  13. II. Features of orality and variation
  14. 8. Oral features in fiction 235
  15. 9. Doing dialects in dialogues: Regional, social and ethnic variation in fiction 265
  16. 10. Multilingualism in fiction 297
  17. 11. The pragmatics of estrangement in fantasy and science fiction 329
  18. III. Pragmatic themes in fiction
  19. 12. Pragmatics and the translation of fiction 367
  20. 13. Subtitling and dubbing in telecinematic text 397
  21. 14. (Im)politeness in fiction 425
  22. 15. (Im)politeness and telecinematic discourse 455
  23. 16. Stance in fiction 489
  24. 17. Language and emotion in fiction 515
  25. 18. Language change and fiction 553
  26. Bionotes 585
  27. Index of authors of scholarly work 591
  28. Index of authors of fictional work 603
  29. Index of fictional sources 605
  30. Subject index 609
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